Operating means for couplers



S. V. COFFEY OPERATING MEANS FOR COUPLERS Jan. 18 3.927.

Filed April Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYLVESTER V. COFFEY, OF HIXON, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO EASTON CAR & CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF EAS'ION, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

OPERATING MEANS FOR COUPLERS.

Application filed April 29, 1926i Serial No. 105,488.

My invention relates generally to automatic car couplers and particularly to couplers of the bottom opening type, which is a simple, inexpensive and highly efficient device for uncoupling and which may be readily installed upon cars already equipped with couplers of this type. The operating means of my improved uncoupling device extending to a point adjacent to the side of the car, renders it easily operable and with the maximum amount of safety to the brakeman or other operator. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself merely to the details of construction as shown, but that the scope of my invention extends to whatever construction may be defined by or included within the terms of the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a partial view in perspective of one end of a car showing a coupler of the bottom opening type and equipped with my invention and F "HUG 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the end of he car illustrating my uncoupling device I in its operative position.

My invention, in the form or embodiment shown in the drawings and briefly described, comprises a pair of aligning clips or brackets, 10, that may be bolted or otherwise secured to the lower flange, 11, of the end beam, 12, of the car body. The brackets, 10, are each provided with a downwardly e:-;tendi g bent portion, 13, having an opening therein for the purpose of loosely mounting the rod or bar, 14-. One of the brackets, 10, is located a relatively short distance from the center of the car, whereas the other one is located near the extreme end of the beam, 12.

The operating rod or bar, 11, which is extended through the portions, 13, of the brackets, 10, is provided on its inner end with a plate, '15, by means of rivets or bolts, whereas its opposite or outer end is bent right angularly as at 16, and extends downwardly, providing a hand-operating lever, 17.

For the purpose of permitting the plate, 15, to assume a substantially vertical position while hanging in its inoperative position, I provide it with a bent portion, 18, adjacent to the flattened end, 19, of the rod, 1 1. The bending of the plate, 15, as at 18, also brings the plate in closer relationship to the lock lift arm, 20, of the car coupler, 21. The outer extremity of the plate, 15, is curved as indicated at 22, forming a uniform seat for the rounded end of the lock lift, 20.

The plate, 15, being substantially wider than the end of the lock lift lever, 20, and being located centrally with respect thereto, the uncoupling of the cars is positively assured with the minimum amount of friction.

As it is generally known, the uncoupling of cars is a very uncertain task, to say nothing of the many hazards associated therewith, by reason of the fact that the brakeman is usually required to enter the rela tively narrow space between the adjacent cars, whereas in my present invention, the operator or brakeman needs but to stand alongside of the car and raise the operating lever, 17, to uncouple the cars from the rest of the train.

I claim:

Uncoupling mechanism for railroad cars, including an end plate for the car having a flange, a rod mounted for rotation on and relative to said flange, said rod extending parallel to and beneath the flange with one end toward the outer end of the car and the other end in line with and inwardly of the car-coupler, the outer end of the rod being formed to provide an operating handle, and a comparatively broad plate removably secured to the other end of the rod in position to engage beneath and 90 elevate the lock-lift arm of the coupler when the rod is turned, said plate being curved to form a seat for said arm.

SYLVESTER V. COFFEY. 

